Senate to vote on Paulís balanced budget plan

The Senate is expected to vote this week on a budget proposal from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) that would severely curtail federal spending, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The measure would balance the budget within five years. But its spending cuts in future years are so steep that the plan is highly unlikely to pass. The budget needs 50 votes to move forward, but Republicans control only 51 seats, and several center-right members are unlikely to support such strict spending cuts.

Still, holding such a vote is a key priority for Paul, who has railed against Republicans for months for increasing spending once they came to power. He also spoke privately to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) about the budget in March, when he threatened to shut down the government for a second time this year over spending increases.

ďThis budget vote will be a litmus test for Republicans who claim to be conservative, but are only too happy to grow the federal government and increase our debt,Ē Paul said in an emailed statement.

Paul's budget would cut federal spending by more than $13 trillion over the next 10 years when compared to current spending levels. It would make no cuts to Social Security but would direct the federal government to make major reductions in spending, without specifying the cuts.

The Kentucky Republican is also seeking to expand health savings accounts.

The intellectual battle for liberty can appear to be a lonely one at times. However, the numbers are not as important as the principles that we hold. Leonard Read always taught that "it's not a numbers game, but an ideological game." That's why it's important to continue to provide a principled philosophy as to what the role of government ought to be, despite the numbers that stare us in the face.

Originally Posted by Origanalist

This intellectually stimulating conversation is the reason I keep coming here.

Never had a chance. I wonder if this vote was his payback for Pompeo? I hope he got more than this.

"And now that the legislators and do-gooders have so futilely inflicted so many systems upon society, may they finally end where they should have begun: May they reject all systems, and try liberty; for liberty is an acknowledgment of faith in God and His works." - Bastiat

"It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere." - Voltaire

Twitter: B4Liberty@USAB4L"Foreign aid is taking money from the poor people of a rich country, and giving it to the rich people of a poor country." - Ron Paul
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The measure would balance the budget within five years. But its spending cuts in future years are so steep that the plan is highly unlikely to pass. The budget needs 50 votes to move forward, but Republicans control only 51 seats, and several center-right members are unlikely to support such strict spending cuts.

What a joke. It cut the budget by 1% and capped spending increases at 1%.

Relative to current baseline projections, Paul's proposal calls for a $404 billion spending cut in fiscal year 2019, which begins on October 1. After that, Congress would be required to cap spending increases at 1 percent annually. Over the next 10 years, Paul's plan would spend about $13.3 trillion less than the current Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projections—though federal spending would still increase by more than 14 percent over the decade

Never had a chance. I wonder if this vote was his payback for Pompeo? I hope he got more than this.

I hope Rand didn't waste any political capital on it. I really don't think getting votes on record makes a difference with most Republican primary voters. Because it will be "the most important election of our lifetime" and/or "we can't gut the military!".

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced his own “Penny Plan” federal budget that will balance within five years by assuming the repeal of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 and utilizing the “Penny Plan.” Dr. Paul’s budget includes instructions that would pave the way for the expansion of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) to help Americans more easily cover their health care costs.

“I ran for office to put a stop to Washington’s out-of-control spending and skyrocketing debt. It’s time for conservatives to govern like conservatives, and my budget plan gives our Republican-controlled Congress a chance to prove to the American people that it is serious about getting our fiscal house in order,” said Dr. Paul.

Dr. Paul’s balanced budget also reforms Congress’ reconciliation and budget processes - all without making any changes to Social Security. Senate rules allow any senator to offer a budget if Senate leadership and the Budget committee do not report out a budget by April 1. As the bill would be a privileged motion, Dr. Paul’s budget will receive a vote on the Senate floor.

You can find more background on Dr. Paul’s proposal below, and you can read the bill HERE. Earlier today, Dr. Paul held a press conference on his budget proposal, and you can watch his remarks HERE.

You can also find a full budget report HERE. This budget report is a plain-text articulation of what is included in the budget resolution. The report also provides historical context, rationales, and supporting arguments for Dr. Paul’s proposed changes, including those both inside and outside the scope of simply changing spending levels.

Dr. Rand Paul’s Balanced Budget:

• Dr. Paul’s budget simply states that for every on-budget dollar the federal government spent in FY18, excluding the BBA, it spend one penny less for the next five years (at which point balance is reached), with spending then growing at one percent thereafter.

• Reduces spending by $404.8B in FY19 and by $13.35T over 10 years relative to baseline.

• Total spending still increases by 14.6 percent over the ten-year window. Only in Washington could a 14.6 percent increase be characterized as a cut.

• Balances without making any changes to Social Security.

• Makes no specific policy assumptions – all the savings are reflected in a new budget function (Function number 930: New Efficiencies, Consolidations, and Other Savings). This budget sets a goal of balance and then calls on Congress to use the tools provided to make the changes in law needed to achieve that objective.

The BBA of 2018

• The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 raised the discretionary spending caps imposed by the Budget Control Act of 2011 nearly $300 billion. With federal debt over $21 trillion, the negative impact of borrowing more money for this spending outweighs any benefit derived from it.

Expansion of Health Savings Accounts

• Provides reconciliation instructions to the Senate Finance Committee to allow for expanded HSAs. Senator Paul’s HSA expansion would allow patients to save for their entire out-of-pocket costs and use HSAs to pay premiums, while also widening eligible disbursements to include supplements, over-the-counter medicine, and other activities that promote wellness and reduce the overall cost of health care.

Reconciliation and Budget Process Reform

• Provides reconciliation instructions to all committees with mandatory spending, ensuring every eligible committee participates in the reconciliation process, as was the process’ original purpose.

• Raises the waiver threshold for all budget points of order so the Senate is held to a higher standard.

• Makes the budget spending totals enforceable for 10 years instead of just one.

ďThe nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, but he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them.Ē --George Orwell

Originally Posted by AuH20

In terms of a full spectrum candidate, Rand is leaps and bounds above Trump. I'm not disputing that.

Who else in public life has called for a pre-emptive strike on North Korea?--Donald Trump

I always like watching for when the man who sets up the easel chuckles. If I had that job, I would be laughing a lot harder a lot more often. It's a shame, though, that these "conservatives" keep getting voted back into Congress. At least I can vote starting this September. (In case you were worried, I will not vote for phony big government sneaks)

If you find this to be a worthwhile message, spread it throughout the land.
Ron Paul

I always like watching for when the man who sets up the easel chuckles. If I had that job, I would be laughing a lot harder a lot more often. It's a shame, though, that these "conservatives" keep getting voted back into Congress. At least I can vote starting this September. (In case you were worried, I will not vote for phony big government sneaks)

You joined this forum when you were 9 years old?

ďThe nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, but he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them.Ē --George Orwell

Originally Posted by AuH20

In terms of a full spectrum candidate, Rand is leaps and bounds above Trump. I'm not disputing that.

Who else in public life has called for a pre-emptive strike on North Korea?--Donald Trump

"Each of us must choose which course of action we should take: education, conventional political action, or even peaceful civil disobedience to bring about necessary changes. But let it not be said that we did nothing." - Ron Paul

"Paul said "the wave of the future" is a coalition of anti-authoritarian progressive Democrats and libertarian Republicans in Congress opposed to domestic surveillance, opposed to starting new wars and in favor of ending the so-called War on Drugs."